So why have so few British mountaineers heard of this once well-known area? Perhaps it is because it lacks the highest peaks – nowhere is the 4000m contour reached – and has fewer glaciated summits than the higher and more famous Alpine regions. But this only makes it perfect for the connoisseurs of mid-grade mountain adventures, those wanting challenging routes and those wanting to mix and match their mountain activities.
The valley offers some of the finest modern via ferratas in France, routes specifically designed for sport, with reliable and well-maintained equipment taking direct lines up soaring cliffs and into the deepest of gorges. Walks and scrambles allow real summits to be reached from the valley in a day, with views reaching to the highest mountain giants in the distance, and mountaineering journeys allow the high summits to be reached without tackling glaciers. Cyclists will find themselves surrounded by Alpine giants familiar to any Tour de France follower, Col de l'Iseran, Col du Galibier and Col de la Croix de Fer amongst them. Nor will mountain bikers be disappointed, with waymarked trails threading through the forests and ski lifts to take the sting out of long climbs. Plenty of rock climbing venues cater for everyone climbing from V Diff through to the higher E grades.
The view down into the Maurienne valley from near Lac de l'Arcelle (Route 1)
This guidebook is broken into sections according to interest and is written for someone visiting the region for a couple of weeks to explore and enjoy a number of mountain activities, maybe with different companions. The aim is also to ignite an interest in this beautiful region and encourage you to return for more mountain adventures in the future.
Geography
The Maurienne valley forms the southern side of the Vanoise massif and has two very different aspects. The southern side of the valley has developed as a ski area for winter sports and has a number of different ski stations, each opening its lifts on different days in the summer to make walking and mountain biking more accessible. Tranquillity is maintained on the other days. Access on this side of the valley is much more open and well-behaved dogs are welcome. To the north is the Vanoise National Park, offering peace and seclusion amid unspoilt surroundings.
Sitting on the French–Italian border, the Upper Maurienne (Haute Maurienne) has a southern boundary bordering the Italian region of Piedmont. Its northern border is less pronounced, as the massif of the Vanoise blurs the boundary with the Tarentaise valley. These two valleys, the Haute Maurienne and the Tarentaise, border the national park to north and south, while the Gran Paradiso National Park borders the area to the east. The Maurienne valley, carved by the Arc river, stretches for over 60km in length but the Upper Maurienne comprises the region between Modane and the highest summits overlooking Bonneval-sur-Arc and climbing to the Col de l'Iseran.
There are a number of recognised long-distance routes that pass through the valley or use it as part of a circuit. The most famous trek must be the GR5, which wends its way from Geneva to Nice and traverses the valley side for a few days of its journey. A less well-known and more recent route is the Via Alpina. This is a family of long-distance paths stretching across the Alps and crossing numerous national borders. The longest is the Red Trail, which at 161 stages is a mammoth walk; two of those stages, stages 123 and 124, pass through the valley, as the route heads south to Monaco.
The Vanoise National Park
The northern part of the Maurienne valley gained national park status in 1963, the Parc National de la Vanoise (PNV), and was inaugurated in 1965 at the base of the Monolith at Sardières. It was the first national park in France and shares a boundary with the Italian Gran Paradiso National Park, the two parks becoming twinned in 1972. Although the PNV is quite compact, covering 520km2, in combination with Gran Paradiso it forms the largest nature reserve in western Europe at over 1250km2. The peripheral zone around the reserve acts as a buffer to further expansion and adds a further 1450kms2 of managed environment. The 600km of footpaths allow plenty of exploring within the park and the extensive network of paths in the peripheral zone more than doubles this, guaranteeing both a diversity of routes and solitude on all but the most popular routes. The national park designation has preserved the area from extensive development and protects the rural nature of Alpine agriculture. Compared to national parks in the UK there are more restrictions on activities, in particular:
wild camping is not permitted. The only camping allowed within the park is lightweight tents next to refuges during July and August. There is a fee payable, which includes the use of the refuge facilities.
all rubbish must be carried out; rubbish may not be left at the refuges.
dogs are not permitted at all.
flying (even using a paraglider) is prohibited.
no mountain biking is permitted (with only one route exception).
no fires are permitted.
Enjoying the view of the glaciers from Mont Froid (Route 7)
The national park attracts over a third of a million visitors each year but many of these will be skiers enjoying the famous resorts of Val d'Isère and Tignes. In summer it is quieter on paths and roads, but has sufficient infrastructure to make backpacking and trekking enjoyable without the need to carry many days' supplies at a time.
Geology
The Maurienne valley was carved out long ago by an enormous glacial system. Its numerous tributaries formed the long side valleys leading into the main Arc valley. Many of these valleys still have glaciers in their upper reaches but these are retreating at an alarming rate and some will be lost in the coming decades. Climate change and glacial retreat are more apparent here than in most other parts of the Alps.
The rock here is mainly metamorphic and consists of reasonably well compacted schist and gneiss on the upper slopes. Conglomerate features in the valley, especially around Sollières where climbing on the localised pudding stone can be as much a lesson in geology as sport.
Near Sardières are two particularly unusual geological features, the Monolith and the Microlith. These impressive fingers of rock reach for up to 90m into the sky and host some challenging rock climbs within the capability of reasonably experienced climbers. The towers were formed by the dissolution of the surrounding beds of gypsum, leaving behind the limestone pillars.
Wildlife
The more remote valleys and high Alpine pastures of the Haute Maurienne are a haven for wildlife. The bouquetin (or ibex) population of the higher valleys is of national importance and their population is growing steadily. Animals from here are also being used to repopulate other mountain areas in France. Bouquetin are magnificent animals that move in herds and are easily identifiable from their dark brown coats, muscular build and iconic horns. Chamois are also in abundance and are likely to be encountered above the treeline on mountain slopes. Smaller than bouquetin, with longer legs and shorter horns, they will frequently be seen clambering among rocky outcrops and grazing on seemly barren slopes.
Bouquetin above l'Ecot
Marmots will be heard before they are seen. Their shrill alarm calls echo around the valley and these members of the rodent family can be seen standing atop rocky outcrops on sentry duty. An adult marmot will weigh around 5–7kg, and they live in communes of two or three generations. Once used for meat, fur and medicinal purposes, marmots are now a protected species. They hibernate during the winter and can be seen from late April onwards once the snow starts to melt. One particularly pleasant place to observe them is from the veranda of the Femma Refuge, although any open sunny mountainside will host any number of marmot family groups feasting